Christoph Steidl Porenta
The main motive for the collection is the Artemis space program, which represents humanity's renewed interest to settle the moon. The man, who is always on the move, who never rests in search of new planets. All pieces of jewellery on display are kinetic - they have moving parts and aesthetics connecting them to celestial bodies. The materials used are silver, gold, various precious stones and real meteorites.
Goldsmith, silversmith and restaurateur Christoph Steidl Porenta, born in Germany, has been creating for almost 30 years in his workshop and gallery Zlatarna Zlato runo. Behind the doors of his studio opens the author's world of narrative jewellery.
"I learned the master's craft in a Benedictine monastery, where I went after already having two professions: after elementary school and high school with the Jesuits, I first finished a mechanical school and became an industrial mechanic. Afterwards I finished trade school and worked in sales for a couple of years. One day I visited a Lalique jewellery exhibition in Munich. The exhibited level of craftsmanship and aesthetics moved me and I knew then that I wanted to create with metal and become a goldsmith. I learned metal forming at Münsterschwarzach Abbey, where I attended a goldsmith school with a 130-year tradition. After finishing my education, I worked for the abbey as a goldsmith, silversmith, restorer and designer of jewellery and useful objects made of precious metals, until my move to Slovenia in the early 1990s."
